How Can One Know that She Pleases God?

Introduction

This is a copy of an examination given to those at the Way House of Ministries to Women, Arkansas sometime in 1990. Terri was one present, and the following is a copy of the examination as she wrote it (with a few grammar corrections). Please note the careful answers, and the way she went about proving her answers.

1. How can one know that she is pleasing God?
a. Write out the reason.
b. Give Biblical proof for each part of your answer.

A. God is consistent. Jehovah’s standard of righteousness and justice never changes. Based on these two things plus the testimony that those in the Bible who in the fear of God, obeyed, they pleased God by following the same standard of righteousness and justice.

God never changes.

B. God is consistent: Proof:

Mal 3:6 “I am Jehovah I change not.”
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should grieve himself; hath he not said, and shall He not do it? or hath he spoken or and shall he not make it good?”
Romans 11:29 “The gifts and callings of God are without repentance.”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is not variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Hebrews 13:8 Messiah Yeshua is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”

Those who feared Jehovah obeyed— There are several cases of those who followed His standards and pleased Him. In Hebrews 11:2 the Bible states, “For by it (Faith) the elders obtained a good report.” This good report means that Jehovah was very pleased by what they did and most importantly by their fear of Him. Jehovah was very pleased by Abel. Jehovah even testified of His gifts (Heb 11:4). Enoch’s whole testimony was that He pleased God.

Abraham was an example of someone who obeyed (Heb 11:8).
Sarah also was one who pleased Jehovah.
Joseph so obeyed Jehovah and kept His Standard that he refused to sin when given the opportunity.
David was a man after Jehovah’s heart.
Elizabeth and Zacharias were two Saints who definitely met the requirements for pleasing Jehovah. Luke 1:6 “And they were both righteous before Jehovah walking in all the commandments and ordinances of Jehovah blameless.

Because of all these facts, if one knows the standards and justices of Jehovah, and obeys, then they should know with utter certainty that they please Jehovah.

May 2, 2011July 5, 2017

Exodus 18 Judging Relatives QA Supplied

Judging Relatives

With Questions and Proposed Answers

Background and printed text: Exodus 18

Exodus 18:1 And His-Excess [Jethro], priest of Contention, Draw’s [Moshe’s] father-in-law heard all that Elohim did to Draw [Moshe] and to Israel his people: that Yehovah exited Israel from Egypt. ²And His-Excess [Jethro], Draw’s [Moshe’s] father-in-law took Zipporah [Ladybird], Draw’s [Moshe’s] woman (after her being sent [more than once]) ³and two of her sons, the name of which the first is Sojourner-There [Ger-Shom], for he said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land!” ⁴And the name of the one is My-Mighty-One-Helped [Eli-Ezer], “Because-of the Gods of my father when helping me; and He rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh!”

⁵And His-Excess [Jethro], Draw’s [Moshe’s] father-in-law, came, and his sons and his woman, unto Draw [Moshe], unto the desert that he camped there, Mount of the Gods. ⁶And He said unto Draw [Moshe], “I, thy father-in-law His-Excess [Jethro], come unto thee! And thy woman and two of her sons are with her!” ⁷And Draw [Moshe] exited to meet his father-in-law. And he prostrated. And he kissed to him. And they asked a man to his neighbour for peace. And they came the tentward.

⁸And Draw [Moshe] scrolled to his father-in-law all that Yehovah did to Pharaoh and to Egypt concerning the firebrand of Israel, all the weariness that they found in the way. And Yehovah rescued them! ⁹And His-Excess [Jethro] focused upon all the good that Yehovah did to Israel—that He rescued him from the hand of Egypt. ¹⁰And His-Excess [Jethro] said, “Blessed is Yehovah Who rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh, Who rescued the people from under the hand of Egypt! ¹¹Now I knew that Yehovah is bigger than all the gods, for what they presumed upon them is in the speech!”

¹²And His-Excess [Jethro] father-in-law of Draw [Moshe] took an ascension and sacrifices to Elohim. And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] came, and all elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Draw [Moshe] to the faces of the Elohim.

¹³And he was from the next day. And Draw [Moshe] sat to judge the people. And the people stood upon Draw [Moshe] from the morning unto the evening. ¹⁴And the father-in-law of Draw [Moshe] saw all that he, he did to the people. And he said, “What is this speech that thou art doing to the people? Make-known—art thou sitting thy lonesome, and all the people is positioned upon thee from morning unto evening?” ¹⁵And Draw [Moshe] said to his father-in-law, “For the people come unto me to research Elohim. ¹⁶For a speech will be to them; he came unto me. And I will judge between a man and between his neighbour. And I will make-known statutes of the Elohim and His teachings!”

¹⁷And the father-in-law of Draw [Moshe] said unto him, “The speech is not good that thou art doing. ¹⁸Foolishness! Thou wilt-become-a-fool—also thou, also this people that is thy people! For the speech is heavier than thee! Thou will not be able to do him thy lonesome!”

¹⁹ “Now, hearken via my voice. I will counsel thee. And Elohim was with thee. Be thou to the people a front to the Elohim. And thou, thou shalt bring the speeches unto the Elohim. ²⁰And thou shalt enlighten them with the statutes and with the teachings. And thou shalt make-known to them the way they shall walk via her and the doing that they shall do.”

²¹ “And thou, thou shalt choose men of an army from all the people, fearers of Elohim, men of Truth, haters of cuts. And thou shalt put princes of thousands, princes of hundreds, princes of fifties and princes of tens over them. ²²And they shall judge the people in every time. And he shall be, they shall bring unto thee every big speech. And they, they shall judge every little speech. And he shall-lighten/speed-up from upon thee. And they shall carry thee.”

²³ “If thou wilt do this speech, and Elohim will command thee, and thou wilt be able to stand. And also all this people will come upon his place via peace.”

²⁴And Draw [Moshe] hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law. And he did all that he said. ²⁵And Draw [Moshe] chose men of an army from all Israel. And he gave them heads upon the people: princes of thousands, princes of hundreds, princes of fifties and princes of tens. ²⁶And they judged the people at every time. They brought the hard speech unto Draw [Moshe]. And they, they judged every little speech.

²⁷And Draw [Moshe] sent his father-in-law. And he walked to him unto his land.

I. Moshe’s Family Travels (verses 1-4)

Jethro, priest of Midian, who was Moshe’s father-in-law, heard all that Elohim did to Moshe and to Israel, Moshe’s people. Yehovah exited Israel from Egypt!

Jethro, Moshe’s father-in-law, took his daughter Zipporah who was Moshe’s woman after she had been sent more than once. Accompanying her was two of her sons. The name of the first is Ger-Shom. Moshe had named him this because Moshe had said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land!” The name of the other one is Eli-Ezer. Again, Moshe had said, “Because-of the Gods of my father when helping me; and He rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh!”

Questions

1. How did Jethro hear about all that Elohim did to Moshe and Israel? Word of the Israeli slaves leaving Egypt spread quickly. Word of the destruction of the entire Egyptian army spread even more quickly! Egypt was a very great power in the area; it was reduced to powerlessness! Many stories of what had occurred spread throughout the region. Jethro heard about these things, and he heard about the Israelis remaining alive and doing fine in a desert in which very few humans could have thrived.

2. Jethro was a priest of what religion? He was a priest of a pagan, idolatrous religion held by the Midianites. I didn’t find which god or gods they followed. He wasn’t a priest of Yehovah the Gods of Israel.

3. What does excess mean (in the name Jethro, meaning his excess)? Excess means extra—what is beyond what is necessary. It can indicate a special gift (like a child) that is beyond what was expected, or it can indicate something else that is above and beyond need.

4. Why would a girl child be named Ladybird? I can only guess. Perhaps after she was born, she made sounds that were like the sounds a little bird makes.

5. Moshe’s woman wasn’t with Moshe, so Moshe’s father-in-law brought her to him. Why wasn’t she with Moshe? She originally left with Moshe to go to Egypt, but she didn’t stay with him while he confronted the pharaoh. The text doesn’t say why she didn’t stay. She had become very upset regarding the circumcision that she had to perform when her husband hadn’t done as he was commanded. I don’t get the impression that she was very interested in Yehovah the God of Moshe, but that is only an impression. I wonder if she returned to her father because she felt that the mission that Moshe was sent to do was crazy; no one tells the most powerful country in the region to send out all of its slaves from one race. Yet, because the text is silent on this, I could easily be totally wrong.

The way the Hebrew words it, she was sent more than once. She had young children to whom she had to attend, and Moshe was in constant danger from both the Israelis and the Egyptians. Both groups wanted to kill him! Jethro now saw that Moshe wasn’t in so much danger, and his wife and sons should be with him.

6. Moshe named one child, Sojourner There, because he said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land.” In what land was he a sojourner, and what is a sojourner? A sojourner is a person who is traveling, and who therefore isn’t at home. The travel that the person is doing is over a long distance so that it will take days, months or years to arrive. Moshe was a sojourner in the land of Midian, and he was also a sojourner in Egypt. His final destination will be Israel. Yet, Moshe was prophesying—not about himself, but about another. Israel will be able to declare in the future, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land.”

7. Moshe also said, “Because-of the Gods of my father when helping me; and He rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh,” when he named the other son My Mighty One Helped. Did Moshe name the youth for his own experience? He did, but what he said was prophetic. Moshe was referring to the previous pharaoh and not to the one who died in the Ending Sea. That previous pharaoh searched for Moshe to kill him, but he never found him. Yet as I mentioned, this statement is prophetic since a future pharaoh will attempt to slaughter that portion of Israel that will be in Egypt. Yehovah will rescue Israel as He rescued Moshe.

II. Moshe’s Family Arrives (verses 5-7)

Moshe’s father-in-law Jethro came with Moshe’s sons and his woman (his wife). They came unto Moshe who was located in the desert where Moshe camped; it was called Mount of the Gods. Yet, before Jethro arrived, he announced, “I, thy father-in-law Jethro, come unto thee! And thy woman and two of her sons are with her!” Upon hearing this, Moshe exited to meet his father-in-law. Moshe prostrated. And he kissed him. They asked each other about their peace, and they came toward the tent.

Questions

1. Why would a location be called Mount of the Gods? It is the mountain where Yehovah, the Gods of Israel will communicate with Moshe and the Israelis.

2. How dry is this desert? It has only very occasional grass during the summer when it is very dry. Only animals used to the dry climate can graze there and find enough to eat. There may have been a little more grass in Moshe’s day, since entire herds could be fed, but it often required moving the herds, since it was and is a true desert. Water just wasn’t available there without digging a well with much effort.

3. Why did Jethro say, “I, thy father-in-law His-Excess [Jethro], come unto thee,” as if Moshe would not recognize him? So much had happened and had changed in Moshe’s life. When he left his father-in-law, he was a shepherd of a flock of sheep. Moshe was now a shepherd of an entire race in the millions. It was as if Moshe had to be reminded because of the thoughts and all the changes that had taken place from that time. Also, the way it is worded, in the next verse, Moshe goes to meet him. This gives me the impression that a slave was sent on ahead to tell Moshe that Jethro was just now arriving, and that Moshe and Jethro hadn’t yet seen each other.

4. Jethro said, “Thy woman and two of her sons are with her.” Were there other sons? The text doesn’t indicate that Moshe had more children by her. Hebrew words things this way, and it gives English readers the impression that there were more, but this isn’t usually the case.

5. Moshe exited to meet his father-in-law. The text never says that he exited to meet his woman (his wife). Why? Moshe greatly desired to see his father-in-law. The text doesn’t give Moshe’s feelings or actions toward his wife and children. It is as if Moshe had become disconnected from them. He loved his father-in-law; no text indicates what the status of his relationship was with his wife and sons.

6. Why did Moshe prostrate, and what does this mean? To prostrate means to lie flat, face-down before another. This is always the true meaning of worship! (No one is worshipping who isn’t at the same time lying flat before another.) It shows humility before another and the willingness to serve another. It can show other things, like surrender, etc. Moshe first prostrated before his father-in-law, whom he was very willing to serve, and then he kissed him.

7. What does “they asked a man to his neighbour for peace” mean? It means that they inquired to find out how each other was doing in all areas of life in order to see whether each had peace in all areas. Having peace means that there are no large current problems that are frustrating, depressing, causing fear, etc., but rather that things are going well in life.

8. Where did they go if they came “the tentward”? They came to Moshe’s tent.

III. Yehovah is the Greatest! (verses 8-11)

Moshe scrolled to his father-in-law everything that Yehovah did to Pharaoh and to Egypt concerning “the firebrand of Israel”—all the weariness that they found while they traveled. Yehovah rescued them! Jethro focused on all the good that Yehovah did to Israel, and that Yehovah rescued Israel from the hand of Egypt!

Jethro said, “Blessed is Yehovah Who rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh, Who rescued the people from under the hand of Egypt! Now I knew that Yehovah is bigger than all the gods, for in the speech is what they presumed upon them!”

Questions

1. What did Moshe do when he “scrolled to his father-in-law all that Yehovah did to Pharaoh and to Egypt”? He told what happened in order. (To scroll is to show and give details in order from the beginning to the end or to the current time.)

2. What is the firebrand of Israel? What does that mean? A firebrand is either a piece of wood, a piece of coal, or a fire torch that was on fire, but now the flame isn’t there, though the red cinders are. It is very close to going out if it isn’t tended. It can quickly become a flame again, and if given more fuel (like wood, coal, or dry plant life, for examples), the flames can start up again.

When it is used for a group (like Israel), it describes that the group is on the edge of extinction, and could go either to extinction or it could continue and even thrive. When Israel was taken out of Egypt, it easily could have gone out of existence except for Yehovah’s faithfulness.

3. What was this weariness that they found in the way? The Israelis were traveling on foot, and they greatly feared the Egyptian army. I don’t think that the adult Israelis got much sleep. The Israelis didn’t know where they were going, and they didn’t know how long it would take to get there. They didn’t know what groups they would meet along the way, and how those groups viewed them. So many thoughts combined with walking, with not having food or water, and without trust in Moshe and Moshe’s God made them very weary.

4. From whom or from what did Yehovah rescue them? He rescued them from Pharaoh, from Egypt, from danger and extinction, and from the weariness that the Israelis suffered.

5. Why did Jethro focus upon all the good that Yehovah did to Israel (instead of the terrible circumstances in which Israel found itself)? One text explains this:

Romans 2:4 Dost thou despise the riches of His goodness and endurance and longsuffering [long before going into wrath], not knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance?

Jethro’s focus was the opposite of the focus of nearly all Israelis who kept reminding each other of what they had lost by leaving Egypt. Jethro had been a pagan priest of a false god; yet, he knew how to look at Truth and on the works of Yehovah in the right way! He saw that Yehovah rescued Israel from the hand of Egypt, and Jethro believed. The Israelis would have reached the same conclusion as Jethro had they focused upon all the good that Yehovah did to Israel! One main good that Yehovah did was to rescue Israel from the hand of Egypt! That was an impossible act!

6. Why did Jethro say that Yehovah is blessed? What does blessed mean? Blessed means benefited with gifts that are accompanied by responsibilities to benefit others! A gift and a blessing are not the same. If a woman or a young girl is given a necklace, that is a gift; it won’t benefit others. If anyone is given equipment and instruction to make fresh bread, that is a blessing; others will be benefited. Blessings in the Bible are always responsibilities as well as advantages.

Yehovah is blessed because He acquired an entire race (the Israelis) who will later be a benefit to the whole world!

7. What does “from under the hand of” mean in, “Who rescued the people from under the hand of Egypt”? Under the hand of anyone or anything means being subservient, and being under the control of another. Since the hand pictures power (as it does in the eyes of a very young child who sees the hand of an adult with all power), being under another’s hand is being subject to do what the other says to do.

8. Jethro said, “Now I knew that Yehovah is bigger than all the gods.” What does this mean, and what does it imply about Jethro? We might say in English, “Now I know that Yehovah is bigger than all the gods.” The word know is in the past tense in Hebrew.

Jethro now knows that Yehovah is bigger—that is, more powerful in every way—than all the gods (that humans consider gods). Jethro now sees that Yehovah is superior to all gods, period.

This implies that Jethro is coming to faith in Yehovah. Now, if he still holds to the other gods even if they are inferior—that is, even if they are not as powerful, he is still an idolater. If he puts his faith in Yehovah and removes his faith from the other gods, he will no longer be an idolater (a follower of false gods).

9. What does “what they presumed upon them is in the speech” mean? They refers to the Egyptians, including Pharaoh. Them refers to the false gods. Thus, the Egyptians presumed things upon the false gods—things that were not true! No matter how much they might beg the lice god, for example, and no matter how many sacrifices they might offer to the lice god, the lice god won’t be able to stop Yehovah from making lice torment the Egyptians! The Egyptians presumed (that is, they assumed with arrogance) that the lice god would save them from the lice, but that false god couldn’t do it.

The speech to which Jethro referred was what Moshe scrolled to Jethro; Jethro could tell from what Moshe said exactly what the Egyptians had presumed on all their false gods. The speech also showed exactly what Yehovah accomplished by turning the creatures that the Egyptians worshipped into attack agents against the Egyptians! The Egyptians no longer could count on their false gods.

10. Did the Egyptians become believers in Yehovah after this? Why or why not? They didn’t! They feared Yehovah the Gods of the Israelis, but they didn’t turn to Yehovah as their Gods. Instead, they took on new gods! This is such normal behaviour! Most humans don’t want truth; they want their own ways and their own gods!

IV. Sacrifice and Food (verse 12)

Jethro, Moshe’s father-in-law, took an ascension and sacrifices to Elohim! Aharon came, and so did all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moshe’s father-in-law right in front of the Elohim!

Questions

1. What is an ascension? It is an animal sacrifice that pictures something ascending—that is, going upward into the heavens. That ‘something’ is actually a group of heroes and heroines who will give their lives so that others will live during the Tribulation.

2. Why did Jethro take an ascension to Elohim? Jethro now believed in Elohim; he prophetically did what he did as if he were one of the heroes of the Tribulation! He associated himself with the heroes and heroines of the Tribulation by taking an ascension to Elohim.

3. How could Jethro take an ascension to Elohim when Elohim wasn’t physically on earth in some location where it could be taken? He took the ascension (the sacrificial animal) to an altar built for Elohim; thus, he took the ascension to Elohim!

4. Did Jethro know what the ascension pictured? The text doesn’t indicate this. Yet, what Jethro did was prophetic and very important. Thus, Yehovah the Spirit must have been involved making sure that Jethro did things right.

5. How many sacrifices did Jethro take to Elohim? The text doesn’t tell the reader.

6. Why did Jethro take sacrifices to Elohim, and why did he take more than one? Again, the text doesn’t give the reason. Sacrifices were often accompanied with vows, but didn’t have to be. His bringing more than one sacrifice to Yehovah also isn’t explained, but Jethro desired to do this, showing his faith in Yehovah.

7. Where did Jethro get the sacrifices? Jethro had been a shepherd before, and I assume that he still shepherded sheep and goats. While these animals might slow a traveler down, they can also provide fresh milk and meat while traveling! I propose that Jethro had a flock with him as he went to meet Moshe.

8. Why did Aharon and all elders of Israel also come? The ascension and the sacrifices were eaten; they weren’t just put on altars and burned up. (That would have been a terrible waste.) Jethro was glad to both do the ascension and sacrifices, and to share his sacrifices with others who were also witnesses of the ascension and the sacrifices. All this was done to the faces of Yehovah.

9. Where were the faces of Yehovah? The faces of Yehovah were in the cloud that was either over them or in front of them (if they were traveling).

V. Jethro Watches Moshe Work (verses 13-16)

What happened next was on the next day. Moshe sat to judge the people of Israel. And this people stood right there beside Moshe from the morning unto the evening.

Moshe’s father-in-law saw all that Moshe—Moshe himself—did to the people. And Jethro said, “What is this speech that thou art doing to the people?” Jethro continued, “Make-known—thou art sitting thy lonesome [all alone], and all the people is positioned upon thee from morning unto evening?” This was so unreasonable!

Moshe responded to his father-in-law, “For the people come unto me to research Elohim. For a speech will be to them; he came unto me.” He continued, “And I will judge between a man and between his neighbour. And I will make-known statutes of the Elohim and His teachings!”

Questions

1. The text states that Moshe sat to judge the people. What does this mean, and what was occurring? Judging is giving and carrying out a correct decision based on all true facts. The Israelis brought situations to Moshe for him to solve. One Israeli, for example, might have a disagreement with another Israeli, and the two could not resolve the disagreement. They would bring the case to Moshe, describing what took place. Moshe would listen to the case, and he would then tell both of them what must be done to resolve the problem. Whatever Moshe said was then done. Moshe did this with the entire people of Israel (one case among the Israelis at a time), giving one decision at a time.

2. The next statement is, “And the people stood upon Moshe from the morning unto the evening.” What does this mean? To stand upon in Hebrew can mean to stand beside; it can also mean to come into someone’s space (either to protest, to be line for something from that person, or to demand something from that person). The Israelis looked to Moshe to determine justice for them. They saw him as being a good judge. Since there were so many who needed judging, the Israelis often had to wait for long periods of time before Moshe considered their cases; thus, they kept close to Moshe so that others wouldn’t take their places in line.

3. The text then states, “the father-in-law of Moshe saw all that he, he did to the people.” Why is the pronoun, he doubled, and what did he do to the people? The pronoun is doubled because Jethro was so surprised that Moshe himself did all this to the people of Israel without any help. He, Moshe, administered justice to the people alone! This should have been an impossible work load; yet, Moshe hadn’t sought any help.

4. Jethro said to Moshe, “What is this speech that thou art doing to the people?” What did Jethro mean by speech in this question? A speech in Hebrew can be spoken by words, but it is also spoken by actions. A person doesn’t have to speak with the mouth in order to speak; body language and actions are also forms of speech in Hebrew. Moshe’s actions spoke, and Jethro heard and saw Moshe’s speech! He then questioned Moshe, asking him what he was speaking to the Israelis by carrying this entire load!

5. Jethro then called Moshe to make known to him (to Jethro) what he was doing: “Art thou sitting thy lonesome, and all the people is positioned upon thee from morning unto evening?” What was Jethro communicating to Moshe? Jethro found it incredulous (unbelievable and just too much) that Moshe would be doing the work of a judge of the entire people all alone, and Israelis would be coming to him alone from morning unto evening!

6. What did Moshe mean by, “For the people come unto me to research Elohim”? The Israeli people (in the form of individuals and groups) come unto Moshe to research (to search out an answer regarding something specific) Elohim—that is, to search out an answer from Elohim to find out what Elohim’s justice will be in each particular case. Since Elohim means Gods, the Israelis come to find what the Gods of Moshe have determined for each case. Moshe gives them the answer.

7. Can anyone research Elohim today? Yes! That is one of the many reasons why the Bible was constructed the way it was. So many issues of justice are part of what the Bible describes! If a person comes across an issue of justice not covered in the Bible, the person can still research Elohim by asking Him for wisdom; if the person is willing to receive wisdom from Him, He will provide it; only, the person must be willing to patiently endure. Those who insist upon an immediate answer, and who will do what isn’t right or wise if the answer doesn’t immediately come, cannot expect anything from Elohim.

8. What did Moshe mean by, “For a speech will be to them”? Two or more Israelis have spoken with words and with their bodies (their works). They have disagreed. They then come to Moshe to judge and to tell them what is the right thing to do.

9. Think about Moshe’s past. What is he now doing that connects with his past? Moshe was originally being trained to be Pharaoh, and to lead an entire country. He is now doing exactly that!

10. What is a statute? It is a rule as if it were engraved in stone. Each statute given to Israel is a type: something that pictures something else far more important than itself. Yehovah teaches many things by His statutes that He gave to Israel. These statutes also solve arguments, fights and disagreements between Israelis.

VI. Moshe Will Become a Fool (verses 17-18)

Moshe’s father-in-law said to Moshe, “The speech is not good that thou art doing. Foolishness! Thou wilt-become-a-fool—also thou, also this people that is thy people! For the speech is heavier than thee! Thou will not be able to do him thy lonesome!”

Questions

1. What speech was Moshe doing that Jethro thought was not good? Moshe was communicating (by his works and words) that he, Moshe, was the only one among the Israelis who could judge the Israelis! What would happen once Moshe died? Jethro was right.

2. What does fool and foolishness mean in the Bible? The word fool means one who has contempt for Yehovah and Godly things, despising Wisdom or ignoring Her. There are four different Hebrew words Indicating four different types of fools:

caseel—a spiritually, ethically or morally intentionally stupid person
naval—a senseless, vile, thoughtless, cruel person
sakhal—a sucker, unwise in making decisions, or feigning to be senseless
eveel—a licentious [that is, a person who doesn’t care about morality or ethics, but does whatever feels good], quarrelsome [liking to get into quarrels and fights], violent, mocking hater of wisdom and a doer of evil.

Foolishness, therefore, shows one of the above four types of actions and choices.

3. Why was Jethro concerned that Moshe would become a fool by judging the Israelis all by himself? Doing the kind of judging that Moshe did all day long, and handling that judging without any help will eventually bring Moshe to such an anger level, that he will finally become thoughtless and senseless, giving wrong decisions because of the overload. The Israelis will do the same thing; they will see Moshe’s decisions as cruel and disgusting, and they will imitate Moshe, except that they will truly be cruel and thoughtless. Yehovah gave Moshe the assignment of taking the Israelis out of Egypt, and then giving them the Teaching of Yehovah. He was capable of judging, but he was also under continuous pressure from the Israelis who tended to fight among themselves and to go after idolatry.

4. What did Jethro mean by, “The speech is heavier than thee”? Moshe’s communications in words and actions (including body language) were Moshe’s speech. What he was communicating to the Israelis was even too heavy for him (Moshe) to carry. It was too much responsibility, and it caused too much dependence on Moshe. Jethro was looking ahead; Moshe was already over 80 years old!

5. What did Jethro mean by, “Thou will not be able to do him thy lonesome”? He meant that he couldn’t do this all alone—that is, Moshe couldn’t continue to do this all alone. It was too much for him.

6. Was Jethro right? Yes, he was right! While Moshe had the aid of the Yehovah the Spirit, still, Moshe wasn’t helping the Israelis by doing all their thinking for them. Moshe eventually would also become tired and angry, possibly following emotions instead of wisdom. What would happen if Moshe became sick? Would the Israelis have to wait for his recovery to solve their fights? Israelis would probably break out in riots!

VII. Moshe, the Front and the Teacher (verses 19-20 )

Jethro advised Moshe: “Now, hearken into my voice. I will counsel thee. And Elohim was with thee.” Jethro then explained his idea: “Be thou to the people a front to the Elohim. And thou, thou shalt bring the speeches unto the Elohim. And thou shalt enlighten them with the statutes and with the teachings. And thou shalt make-known to them the way they shall walk in her and the doing that they shall do.”

Questions

1. What does “heaken via my voice” mean? This means to both listen and do by means of what my voice says—exactly as it says.

2. What does counsel mean in the Bible? It means to both give advice and to lead in carrying out that advice. It never means just to give advice. If a person is willing to counsel another, that person is also willing to aid that other person in what is counseled. Thus, if a king chooses a counselor, it is because the king desires that person to also carry out what the person has counseled. (That person will also be responsible for the success or failure of that counsel.)

3. Jethro next said, “And Elohim was with thee.” Why did he use was instead of saying, “And Elohim will be with thee”? In Hebrew, when something is proposed that will have a result, the proposition is in the future, and the result is in the past. Consider the following English example, and the Hebrew example that follows:

English: “If you give me the ball, I will throw it.”

Hebrew: “Thou shalt give me the ball, and I threw it.”

The Hebrew wording has much more certainty in the results.

In the text, Jethro tells Moshe, “I will counsel thee.” Jethro then gives the result of Moshe’s following his counsel: “Elohim was with thee.”

4. What is Jethro telling Moshe to do when Jethro states, “Be thou to the people a front to the Elohim”? Jethro sees the people as a single group. Moshe will be the front of the group, and will therefore face Elohim for the group. This means that Moshe will speak to Elohim as the voice of the people, and will hear the speeches of Elohim, telling those speeches to the people.

5. What speeches will Moshe bring unto the Elohim? He will bring the speeches of the Israelis who are presenting matters that are too hard for even Moshe to solve.

6. How will Elohim respond to these speeches? Elohim will enlighten the Israelis (via Moshe) with Yehovah’s statutes and teachings, solving the issues of justice.

7. The Bible often refers to walking as it does in this statement: “And thou shalt make-known to them the way they shall walk…” What does walk mean when used this way? The walk in the Bible is the moral and ethical way that a person or group lives on a daily basis. Morality and ethics both have to do with right and wrong from the view of a god/God.

Each person can have his/her own occupation in life—the work that a person does to either earn a living or to be of benefit in society. The occupation normally doesn’t have anything to do with a person’s walk unless that occupation involves morality and/or ethics. Certain occupations always involve morality and ethics. For example, if a woman is a prostitute, her occupation is Biblically immoral, and her walk isn’t right before Yehovah. (Some serve false gods that include being righteous prostitutes as occupations.) Another occupation that involves morality and ethics is being a leader in society (for example, a politician or a king). Most occupations don’t directly deal with morality and ethics, however, though a person can always be moral or immoral, ethical or unethical in whatever occupation the person has.

A few folks walk righteously—they consistently do what is right (ethically and morally). Ethics has to do with right and wrong in business; morality as to do with right and wrong in social relationships (including relationships with the person’s god/God or gods).

A few folks walk in great evil; they like to do what is wrong, seeing that is fun and fulfilling.

Most folks have an inconsistent walk, doing some things with righteousness (what is right in the eyes of a god/God) and some things without righteousness, doing what is wrong and shameful. Those who have an inconsistent walk are unrighteous before Yehovah. Yehovah doesn’t weigh righteous behaviour against unrighteous behaviour to see which is greater; He sees unrighteous behaviour as cancelling righteous behaviour! Thus, most humans have a walk in life that is sinful (in violation of what Yehovah commanded).

8. Jethro stated, “And thou shalt make-known to them the way they shall walk via her.” Identify her: The noun form of counsel is feminine. I propose that Jethro is telling Moshe to make known to the Israelis the way that they shall walk by means of Jethro’s counsel for Moshe. (The word way is masculine; her, of course, is feminine.)

9. What is the doing that they shall do? The Israeli people as a unit must do what is according to Yehovah in all matters of justice and righteousness. Moshe must make these things known to the Israelis so that they, as a group, can and will be consistent.

VIII. Soldiers Qualified to Judge (verses 21-22)

Jethro continued, “And thou, thou shalt choose men of an army from all the people, fearers of Elohim, men of Truth, haters of cuts. And thou shalt put princes of thousands, princes of hundreds, princes of fifties and princes of tens over them. 22And they shall judge the people in every time. And he shall be, they shall bring unto thee every big speech. And they, they shall judge every little speech. And he shall-lighten/speed-up from upon thee. And they shall carry thee.”

Questions

1. Why did Jethro specify that Moshe should choose men of an army? Men who are army-trained have several advantages:

They are taught self-control
They are taught to wait, to be patient, and to only hurry when that is advantageous
They are taught to take commands
They are taught to give commands
They are taught how to defend themselves and others
They are taught to speak wisely, clearly and briefly
They are taught respect
They are trained in selflessness

2. What is a fearer of Elohim? This is a person who fits all of the following descriptions:

This person believes that Elohim (the Gods of Israel) exists
This person believes that Elohim will hold each person responsible for what he/she does, and therefore knows that there will be a judgment
This person knows that Elohim will never judge ‘on a curve’—that is, averaging out what many folks do, but instead will judge each individual as if he/she is the only person being judged
This person fears doing wrong before Yehovah
This person knows that Yehovah will reward a person with good if the person does what is right in Yehovah’s view
This person knows that Yehovah hears, sees and responds to all things
This person knows that Yehovah has all power, and will use that power for or against humans made in His image

Therefore, this person will do what is right instead of what is convenient or wrong.

3. Why must the men chosen be fearers of Elohim? Those who either fear other gods or who don’t fear any god will lead the Israelis into sin and into death and destruction.

4. What is Truth? It is whatever is absolute (and therefore unchanging and unchangeable) before Yehovah. Anything that can change isn’t truth, though it may be true at a particular time.

The Bible explains Truth—what is certain and never changing according to Yehovah the Gods of Israel. Messiah Yeshua (the anointed Salvation of Yehovah) is the Truth. He never changes, and what He says and does is always right.

5. What are men of Truth? These are men who always (that is, consistently) do what is morally and ethically right in Yehovah’s view of right, and refuse to do what is wrong (no matter what it costs them).

6. Why didn’t Jethro also include women? While Jethro never ruled out women, Jethro knew that the Israelis didn’t tend to automatically view a woman as a leader. Yet, women in leadership was always potentially part of Israeli society.

The Israelis are like so many other societies: if women lead, the men remain in the background and don’t lead, as if they are lazy (which is too often true). The men are entertained by women in leadership, and that entertainment tends to laziness. If men lead, the women also tend to lead and don’t tend to be lazy.

7. What is a hater of cuts? Think of cuts in line—when someone tries to move ahead of others who have been patiently waiting in line. Such a person is looking to his own advantage, and not to the advantages of others. Also, think of cuts in terms of money: folks who are willing to force others to give them a cut on moneys that don’t belong to them. They are willing to use blackmail and accept bribes and pay-offs, and use other forms of corruption in order to get ahead of others.

Thus, a hater of cuts hates every form of corruption in which persons take advantage of weaker persons to get ahead.

8. Are the princes of tens princes over just ten persons? I suspect that they are princes over ten families; if I am right, each group leader is over numbers of families instead of individuals.

9. What does “they shall judge the people in every time” mean? Every time the people needs judging (that is, individuals and groups within the people), these princes will always do the judging (except in cases that are too hard for them to judge).

10. What is a big speech in, “they shall bring unto thee every big speech”? A big speech is one that has a lot of sayings, and is therefore very important (and probably very hard to figure). This big speech describes some argument or disagreement that must be judged to see who is right or what must be done. Jethro told Moshe to handle these difficult and complex decisions. Instead, the princes can judge every little speech (in this case also, every little argument).

11. Who is he in, “And he shall-lighten/speed-up from upon thee”? He is the speech that Jethro is communicating to Moshe, counseling him to do things this way. If Moshe follows the speech of Jethro, the speech will lighten Moshe’s load, and will also speed up things from upon Moshe—that is, will lighten his load more quickly.

12. Who are they in, “And they shall carry thee”? They refer to the princes over the groups of different sizes.

13. How will they carry Moshe? Since they will carry the load that Moshe has been carrying, it will be as if they are carrying Moshe himself, making him capable of leading the People of Israel will great ease (compared to what he has been doing up to now).

IX. Ability to Stand, and Peace (verse 23)

Jethro then explained why this would work: “If thou wilt do this speech, and Elohim will command thee, and thou wilt be able to stand. And also all this people will come upon his place via peace.”

Questions

1. What was Jethro saying when he declared, “If thou wilt do this speech, and Elohim will command thee”? In order for Moshe to judge the very hardest cases, Moshe will need Yehovah to command him so that Moshe will know what to do. If Moshe does what Jethro advises, and if Yehovah will command Moshe regarding the very hardest cases, Moshe will be able to stand and all the Israelis will come to the destination in a peaceful manner.

2. What did Jethro mean by, “thou wilt be able to stand”? What is the alternative? Standing in the Bible is the opposite of falling. One who falls goes down (whether in death or in the loss of rank and power). It is failure. Standing, on the other hand, is maintaining (and ever being victorious).

If Moshe stands, he will continue leading the Israelis, and his leadership will succeed until he has died or has been replaced without violence or failure on his part.

3. Identify his place in, “all this people will come upon his place via peace”: His place is the land of Canaan, which will become the Land of Israel. It will be the place that the people of Israel will inhabit after they have finished their journeys that began from Egypt.

4. Why will the people come upon his place via peace? What does that mean? It means that the journey to the land that the Israeli people will inhabit will be a peaceful journey. The reason why it will be peaceful is because there will be plenty of judges (princes) to consider the many matters of disputes; peaceful resolutions (strong solutions and good decisions that will solve the problems) will so often take place under these wise princes.

X. Moshe Obeys a Pagan Priest (verses 24-26)

Moshe hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, doing everything that he said. Moshe chose men who were part of Israel’s army from all Israel’s tribes. He gave them positions of being heads over the people of Israel. He made some princes of thousands, some princes of hundreds, some princes of fifties, and some princes of tens. They judged the people at every occasion. They only brought very difficult decisions to Moshe, judging every little ‘speech.’

Questions

1. Why did Moshe hearken to his father-in-law instead of first inquiring from Yehovah? Moshe didn’t need to inquire from Yehovah; Moshe heard the very wisdom of Yehovah being spoken by his father-in-law! Moshe knew he was right, and was glad to do what he said.

2. Should a person living by Biblical faith hearken to (that is, both listen to and do) a pagan priest of a false god? Yes, if the pagan priest speaks wisdom! Yehovah has given wisdom to humans regardless of their faiths. Only a few use the wisdom that Yehovah has given, but a wise man or woman will hearken to a pagan who speaks truth and gives wisdom that is beneficial.

3. What does “he gave them heads upon the people” mean? This means that Moshe gave these men of an army to the Israelis to be heads upon (over) the people of Israel. It was an assignment of responsibility.

4. How did Moshe know that these newly assigned princes were doing consistent and proper justice? They all had a proper standard of justice because of their good character. They all:

Feared Elohim
Were men of Truth
Hated cuts
Were men of an army—that is, showed excellent self-control.

Since they met these criteria (these standards by which they were tested), they also properly judged.

XI. Moshe Sends Jethro (verse 27)

It was time for Moshe’s father-in-law to leave, and Moshe sent him. He walked ‘to him’—that is, for himself—unto his land.

Questions

1. Why did Moshe send his father-in-law? Did he want to get rid of him? He didn’t want to get or be rid of him. When guests came to homes in many of the cultures of Moshe’s time, those guests were very important to their hosts. If guests were to just leave, this would be viewed as a rude break in relationships between the guests and the hosts. It would appear that the guests were fleeing—running away from the hosts—because of some offense that had taken place. Instead, the guests sought permission of the hosts to leave, and the hosts would then send the guests on their journey, sometimes giving them traveling provisions, and sometimes seeking the blessings of their (the hosts’) gods for the travelers. The relationships between guests and hosts were very valuable, since hosts sometimes risked their lives when receiving the guests—not risk from the guests, but risks from others who were evil and who might seek to take terrible advantage of the guests. Thus, hosts would send the guests who were sojourners (travelers) on their ways. This is what Moshe did with Jethro.

2. What does “he walked to him unto his land” mean? If the text had just said, “he walked unto his land,” it would have been very simple to understand; Jethro walked home. The way it is worded in Hebrew, I propose that in smoother English, it would be like this: “he walked for himself unto his land,” indicating that he went home without help and without accompaniment. Jethro wasn’t a young man; he was old, too! Moshe was over 80 years old, and he had met Jethro when he (Moshe) was 40 years old. The two men were probably close to the same age. Jethro had come with Moshe’s woman (wife) and his sons; now, he walked “to him” or “to himself,” back to his land of Midian.

May 2, 2011July 5, 2017

Exodus 18 Judging Relatives

Judging Relatives

Background and printed text: Exodus 18

²³ “If thou wilt do this speech, and Elohim will command thee, and thou wilt be able to stand. And also all this people will come upon his place via peace.”

²⁷And Draw [Moshe] sent his father-in-law. And he walked to him unto his land.

I. Moshe’s Family Travels (verses 1-4)

Jethro, priest of Midian, who was Moshe’s father-in-law, heard all that Elohim did to Moshe and to Israel, Moshe’s people. Yehovah exited Israel from Egypt!

Questions

1. How did Jethro hear about all that Elohim did to Moshe and Israel?

2. Jethro was a priest of what religion?

3. What does excess mean (in the name Jethro, meaning his excess)?

4. Why would a girl child be named Ladybird?

5. Moshe’s woman wasn’t with Moshe, so Moshe’s father-in-law brought her to him. Why wasn’t she with Moshe?

6. Moshe named one child, Sojourner There, because he said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land.” In what land was he a sojourner, and what is a sojourner?

II. Moshe’s Family Arrives (verses 5-7)

Questions

1. Why would a location be called Mount of the Gods?

2. How dry is this desert?

3. Why did Jethro say, “I, thy father-in-law His-Excess [Jethro], come unto thee,” as if Moshe would not recognize him?

4. Jethro said, “Thy woman and two of hr sons are with her.” Were there other sons?

5. Moshe exited to meet his father-in-law. The text never says that he exited to meet his woman (his wife). Why?

6. Why did Moshe prostrate, and what does this mean?

7. What does “they asked a man to his neighbour for peace” mean?

8. Where did they go if they came “the tentward”?

III. Yehovah is the Greatest! (verses 8-11)

Questions

1. What did Moshe do when he “scrolled to his father-in-law all that Yehovah did to Pharaoh and to Egypt”?

2. What is the firebrand of Israel? What does that mean?

3. What was this weariness that they found in the way?

4. From whom or from what did Yehovah rescue them?

5. Why did Jethro focus upon all the good that Yehovah did to Israel (instead of the terrible circumstances in which Israel found itself)?

6. Why did Jethro say that Yehovah is blessed? What does blessed mean?

7. What does “from under the hand of” mean in, “Who rescued the people from under the hand of Egypt”?

8. Jethro said, “Now I knew that Yehovah is bigger than all the gods.” What does this mean, and what does it imply about Jethro?

9. What does “what they presumed upon them is in the speech” mean?

10. Did the Egyptians become believers in Yehovah after this? Why or why not?

IV. Sacrifice and Food (verse 12)

Jethro, Moshe’s father-in-law, took an ascension and sacrifices to Elohim! Aharon came, and so did all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moshe’s father-in-law right in front of the Elohim!

Questions

1. What is an ascension?

2. Why did Jethro take an ascension to Elohim?

3. How could Jethro take an ascension to Elohim when Elohim wasn’t physically on earth in some location where it could be taken?

4. Did Jethro know what the ascension pictured?

5. How many sacrifices did Jethro take to Elohim?

6. Why did Jethro take sacrifices to Elohim, and why did he take more than one?

7. Where did Jethro get the sacrifices?

8. Why did Aharon and all elders of Israel also come?

9. Where were the faces of Yehovah?

V. Jethro Watches Moshe Work (verses 13-16)

What happened next was on the next day. Moshe sat to judge the people of Israel. And this people stood right there beside Moshe from the morning unto the evening.

Questions

1. The text states that Moshe sat to judge the people. What does this mean, and what was occurring?

2. The next statement is, “And the people stood upon Moshe from the morning unto the evening.” What does this mean?

3. The text then states, “the father-in-law of Moshe saw all that he, he did to the people.” Why is the pronoun, he doubled, and what did he do to the people?

4. Jethro said to Moshe, “What is this speech that thou art doing to the people?” What did Jethro mean by speech in this question?

6. What did Moshe mean by, “For the people come unto me to research Elohim”?

7. Can anyone research Elohim today?

8. What did Moshe mean by, “For a speech will be to them”?

9. Think about Moshe’s past. What is he now doing that connects with his past?

10. What is a statute?

VI. Moshe Will Become a Fool (verses 17-18)

Questions

1. What speech was Moshe doing that Jethro thought was not good?

2. What does fool and foolishness mean in the Bible?

3. Why was Jethro concerned that Moshe would become a fool by judging the Israelis all by himself?

4. What did Jethro mean by, “The speech is heavier than thee”?

5. What did Jethro mean by, “Thou will not be able to do him thy lonesome”?

6. Was Jethro right?

VII. Moshe, the Front and the Teacher (verses 19-20 )

Questions

1. What does “heaken via my voice” mean?

2. What does counsel mean in the Bible?

3. Jethro next said, “And Elohim was with thee.” Why did he use was instead of saying, “And Elohim will be with thee”?

4. What is Jethro telling Moshe to do when Jethro states, “Be thou to the people a front to the Elohim”?

5. What speeches will Moshe bring unto the Elohim?

6. How will Elohim respond to these speeches?

7. The Bible often refers to walking as it does in this statement: “And thou shalt make-known to them the way they shall walk…” What does walk mean when used this way?

8. Jethro stated, “And thou shalt make-known to them the way they shall walk via her.” Identify her:

9. What is the doing that they shall do?

VIII. Soldiers Qualified to Judge (verses 21-22)

Questions

1. Why did Jethro specify that Moshe should choose men of an army?

2. What is a fearer of Elohim?

3. Why must the men chosen be fearers of Elohim?

4. What is Truth?

5. What are men of Truth?

6. Why didn’t Jethro also include women?

7. What is a hater of cuts?

8. Are the princes of tens princes over just ten persons?

9. What does “they shall judge the people in every time” mean?

10. What is a big speech in, “they shall bring unto thee every big speech”?

11. Who is he in, “And he shall-lighten/speed-up from upon thee”?

12. Who are they in, “And they shall carry thee”?

13. How will they carry Moshe?

IX. Ability to Stand, and Peace (verse 23)

Questions

1. What was Jethro saying when he declared, “If thou wilt do this speech, and Elohim will command thee”?

2. What did Jethro mean by, “thou wilt be able to stand”? What is the alternative?

3. Identify his place in, “all this people will come upon his place via peace”:

4. Why will the people come upon his place via peace? What does that mean?

X. Moshe Obeys a Pagan Priest (verses 24-26)

Questions

1. Why did Moshe hearken to his father-in-law instead of first inquiring from Yehovah?

2. Should a person living by Biblical faith hearken to (that is, both listen to and do) a pagan priest of a false god?

3. What does “he gave them heads upon the people” mean?

4. How did Moshe know that these newly assigned princes were doing consistent and proper justice?

XI. Moshe Sends Jethro (verse 27)

It was time for Moshe’s father-in-law to leave, and Moshe sent him. He walked ‘to him’—that is, for himself—unto his land.

Questions

1. Why did Moshe send his father-in-law? Did he want to get rid of him?

2. What does “he walked to him unto his land” mean?

April 29, 2011October 29, 2017

Saul’s ‘Conversion’

I don’t like the word conversion, but I use it because so many use this word when one comes to faith in Yeshua (‘Jesus’). Saul already feared Yehovah, and he believed in Him, having the greatest fervency for the Torah (which he never lost). He did not have a covering for sin, however, and he and his friends were ‘hit men’ on assignment to find, arrest, try, then slaughter all Jewish folks who demonstrated faith in Yeshua.

Continue reading “Saul’s ‘Conversion’”

April 12, 2011July 5, 2017

Genesis 18b The Judge of the Whole Earth

The Judge of the Whole Earth

Background and Printed Text: Genesis 18

Genesis 18:16 And the men arose from there. And they peered upon the faces of Sodom (Scorch). And Avraham (Father-Of-A-Crowd) walked with them to send them.

¹⁷And Yehovah said, “Am I covering what I am doing from Avraham? ¹⁸And Avraham, becoming, shall become to a big and powerful race! And all the races of the land will be blessed via him! ¹⁹For I knew him in order that he will command his children and his house after him. And they will guard Yehovah’s way to do righteousness and justice in order that Yehovah has brought upon Avraham what He spoke concerning him.”

²⁰And Yehovah said, “The scream of Sodom and of Amorah (Gomorrah, meaning Her-Sheaf-Binding)! For she multiplied! And their sin! For she is very heavy!─ ²¹I will descend, na. And I have seen. According to her scream coming unto me, have they finished? And if not, I will know.”

²²And the men turned from there. And they walked Sodomward. And Avraham yet stood himself to the faces of Yehovah.

²³And Avraham approached. And he said, “Wilt thou even scrape-off a righteous-one with a culpable-one? ²⁴Perhaps there are fifty righteous-ones in the midst of the city. Wilt thou scrape-off, and wilt not forgive to the place for-the-sake-of fifty of the righteous-ones who are in her midst? ²⁵Profanation to Thee from doing according to this speech—to kill a righteous-one with a culpable-one, and as a righteous-one will be as a culpable-one—profanation to Thee! The Judge of all the land will not do justice??” ²⁶And Yehovah said, “If I will find in Sodom fifty righteous-ones in the midst of the city, and I will forgive to all the place for their sake.”

²⁷And Avraham answered. And he said, “Behold, na, I resolved to speak unto my Lords. And I am dust and ash. ²⁸Perhaps fifty of the righteous-ones will lack five. Wilt Thou slaughter via the five all the city?” And He said, “I will not slaughter if I will find there forty and five.” ²⁹And he gathered again to speak unto Him. And he said, “Perhaps they will find forty there.” And He said, “I will not do for the sake-of the forty.” ³⁰And he said, “Do not, na, heat to my Lords, and I have spoken. Perhaps they will find thirty there.” And He said, “I will not do if I will find thirty there.” ³¹And he said, “Behold, na, I resolved to speak unto my Lords. Perhaps they will find twenty there.” And He said, “I will not slaughter for-the-sake-of the twenty.” ³²And he said, “Do not heat to my Lords, and I will speak but the stroke. Perhaps they will find ten there.” And He said I will not slaughter for-the-sake-of the ten.”

³³And Yehovah went just-as He finished to speak unto Avraham. And Avraham sat to his place.

I. The Haunting Engagement (verse 16)

The visitors finished their meal and resting. They arose. They peered (looked at something very hard, as if it were very distant and very important) upon the faces of Sodom. The fields around Sodom were fertile; it was an agricultural community with a walled city for protection. Those men knew their assignment. Many would be dead in a very short time.

Avraham accompanied them to send them on their journey. He knew nothing about their mission.

Questions

1. Why didn’t the men tell the reasons for their journey?

2. Why did they look at the distant city and settlement of Sodom in that way?

II. The Facts about Avraham (verses 17-19)

Yehovah spoke, though there is no indication to whom He said this. He asked Himself a question: “Am I covering what I am doing from Avraham?”

Yehovah’s reasons for telling Avraham what He was about to do were these:

Avraham will become a big and powerful race.
All the races of the land will be blessed by means of him.
Yehovah knew him.
Avraham will command his children and his house after him, and they will guard Yehovah’s way to do righteousness and justice in order that Yehovah has brought upon Avraham what He spoke concerning him.

These things will set the right conditions for Yehovah to bring upon Avraham the Promises.

None of these things seems to have anything to do with Yehovah’s plan for Sodom. Yet every one of these things has everything to do with Yehovah informing this man.

Questions

1. Why did Yehovah say these things instead of just doing them?

2. What is a race?

3. How will all the races of the land be blessed by means of Avraham?

4. What is important about Yehovah knowing Avraham? Doesn’t He know everyone?

5. What will Avraham command his house and his children?

6. When will he do this?

7. What is Yehovah’s way?

8. What is righteousness?

9. What is justice?

10. What will Yehovah bring upon Avraham? What did He say He would bring?

11. What is required for Yehovah to bring that upon Avraham?

III. The Scream (verses 20-21)

The Bible mentioned two cities: Sodom and Gomorrah. It will mention five cities in a later text: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim and Zoar.

Sodom and Gomorrah scream. The scream multiplies (gets louder). The sin of the inhabitants is very heavy (important; it weighs much).

Yehovah determines to descend in person. Have the inhabitants finished sinning, doing what she was screaming they were doing? Yehovah will find out.

Questions

1. What was Sodom screaming?

2. Why was Sodom screaming?

3. Can cities speak to Yehovah? Are they alive?

4. Did Sodom agree with what Sodom’s citizens were doing? Explain.

5. Was Gomorrah also screaming?

6. What multiplied?

7. What is the definition of sin in the Bible?

8. What sin is this? (Only one sin is mentioned.) (Hint: Somewhere in Ezekiel, a text speaks of this sin.)

9. Why did Yehovah need to descend to see? Can’t He see all things?

10. If they finished, what would they finish?

11. If you sin, does Yehovah know?

12. Does Yehovah know you?

IV. The Facts about Avraham (verses 22)

The men arrived from an unknown location, and ate. They then turned from the camp of Avraham. They went on their journey toward Sodom.

Avraham did not leave the one who stayed behind; he stood there directly in front of him.

Questions

1. Why did Avraham stand in front of the remaining man?

2. Was Avraham upset?

3. Did Avraham know who this is?

4. Why did the men turn from there?

5. Why did one stay? Did Avraham detain him?

V. ‘Scraping Off’ and Profanation (verses 23-26)

Avraham reasoned with his Guest about justice. He called Him “the Judge of all the land” in verse 25. Therefore, Avraham now knew the identity of his Guest.

He asked, “Wilt thou even scrape-off a righteous-one with a culpable-one?” Avraham desired to know what He would do if there were fifty righteous persons in the midst of the city.

Avraham discussed only two possibilities: scraping off, and forgiving the place.

He then spoke very strongly: “Profanation to Thee from doing according to this speech—to kill a righteous-one with a culpable-one, and as a righteous-one will be as a culpable-one—profanation to Thee!” I know of no other place in the Bible where one speaks so strongly to this God!

The word profanation is a form of the word profane, meaning secular. Anything that is secular isn’t spiritual—it doesn’t relate to things of God, but only to physical life on earth. For example, reading a good novel is secular. There is nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, there are secular activities that are wrong. Being cruel or mean to someone is also secular; it is therefore profane. Using language that is considered profanity (another form of the word profane) is also a secular activity.

Avraham recognized that Yehovah would be behaving secularly, profanely, if He killed a culpable (guilty) person with a righteous person, even if Yehovah became very angry with what was occurring in a city. The Judge of all the land must do justice, and that wouldn’t be justice.

Yehovah responded using Avraham’s number: “If I will find in Sodom fifty righteous-ones in the midst of the city, and I will forgive to all the place for their sake.” That didn’t satisfy Avraham, however, as the next sections will show.

Questions

1. What does scrape off mean? Is this a good description?

2. How can you tell whether a person is a righteous person or a culpable person?

3. What does forgive really mean (literally)?

4. How can one forgive a place?

5. What does righteous really mean (literally)?

6. Are fifty righteous persons normally in a city? Explain this well, and think about this before you answer.

7. Does Yehovah do anything that is secular/profane? Explain.

8. Does Yehovah always do justice?

9. What does judge really mean?

10. Should you judge? Think very carefully before you answer.

11. Was Avraham’s challenge of Yehovah’s justice (verses 23-25) right? Did Avraham have the right to do this, or did he sin by doing this?

12. Is it a sin to be angry with God?

13. Is bargaining with God wrong?

VI. The Minimum Number (verses 27-32)

Avraham resolved to speak to his Lords (plural). He had to ask more questions. Yet, he knew that he consisted of dust and ash!

What if only five less than fifty were present? Would Yehovah slaughter all the city because five were absent? Yehovah assured him that He will not do that.

Avraham continued with the countdown until he came to ten. Avraham went no lower.

Questions

1. Why is the word Lords plural? (It is used in that form throughout the Bible.)

2. What does resolved mean?

3. Why did Avraham call himself “dust and ash”? Is he?

4. Why did Avraham stop with ten instead of lowering the number to five?

5. What would Yehovah do if He found (say) eight righteous persons? Would He slaughter the eight with the culpable ones (the culprits)?

6. Avraham seemed to be concerned that Yehovah might anger with him for his continuing to speak (verse 30). Was there a danger of this?

7. Avraham never mentioned Lot in this entire discussion. Why?

8. Would you be considered among the righteous were the city in which you live to be targeted for Yehovah’s destruction?

VII. Finished (verse 33)

Yehovah left when he finished speaking. Avraham sat ‘to’ his place. This wasn’t the type of ‘goodbye’ a reader might expect.

Questions

1. Why did Avraham just sit there?

2. Was Avraham pleased that Yehovah had just visited him?

3. Would you be pleased if you had relatives in a city that you knew would be targeted by Yehovah to destroy it, and Yehovah had just visited you to let you know?

4. Did Avraham fear for his relatives?

5. Why didn’t Yehovah reassure Avraham that Lot would be safe?

April 12, 2011July 5, 2017

Genesis 18b The Judge of the Whole Earth QA

The Judge of the Whole Earth

With Questions and Proposed Answers

Background and Printed Text: Genesis 18

Genesis 18:16 And the men arose from there. And they peered upon the faces of Sodom (Scorch). And Avraham (Father-Of-A-Crowd) walked with them to send them.

²²And the men turned from there. And they walked Sodomward. And Avraham yet stood himself to the faces of Yehovah.

³³And Yehovah went just-as He finished to speak unto Avraham. And Avraham sat to his place.

I. The Haunting Engagement (verse 16)

Avraham accompanied them to send them on their journey. He knew nothing about their mission.

Questions

1. Why didn’t the men tell the reasons for their journey? They did and said what they were told to do and to say. They didn’t volunteer information. Avraham didn’t need to hear from them what they intended to do.

2. Why did they look at the distant city and settlement of Sodom in that way? They were about to walk there, and they were about to do a very terrible (frightening) act. They peered because the city was quite far away, though it was still visible from where they were located.

II. The Facts about Avraham (verses 17-19)

Yehovah spoke, though there is no indication to whom He said this. He asked Himself a question: “Am I covering what I am doing from Avraham?”

Yehovah’s reasons for telling Avraham what He was about to do were these:

Avraham will become a big and powerful race.
All the races of the land will be blessed by means of him.
Yehovah knew him.
Avraham will command his children and his house after him, and they will guard Yehovah’s way to do righteousness and justice in order that Yehovah has brought upon Avraham what He spoke concerning him.

These things will set the right conditions for Yehovah to bring upon Avraham the Promises.

None of these things seems to have anything to do with Yehovah’s plan for Sodom. Yet every one of these things has everything to do with Yehovah informing this man.

Questions

1. Why did Yehovah say these things instead of just doing them? Yehovah is telling readers of the Bible what He was thinking at that time. If the Bible didn’t show these things to readers, readers wouldn’t be able to get to know the mind (thinking) of Yehovah.

2. What is a race? A race is a large group of individuals who all have a common set of parents (one mother and one father). Every race starts with two: a male and a female. They form a family. Children of that family tend to stay close to each other, and soon they have enough family members to be a tribe. The tribe grows; women marry the men of the tribe, and the tribe still tends to stay more or less together. When the tribe has become very large, it is now considered a race.

3. How will all the races of the land be blessed by means of Avraham? Avraham’s offspring will do actions, will make inventions, and will participate in social and political functions that will benefit other races and will give them what they need to prosper in greater ways than they would have without Avraham’s offspring. Also, Avraham’s faith and behaviour will become a model for all races of the land. Besides these things, the Salvation of Yehovah from sin and unto righteous living will come through Avraham.

4. What is important about Yehovah knowing Avraham? Doesn’t He know everyone? Yehovah knows everyone in one way: He created the personality of every person. Yet, Yehovah knows those who are His—those who fear Him and belong to Him; this description doesn’t cover most humans. The word know in the Bible shows great intimacy. Yehovah is not on an intimate level with very many (since most don’t fear Him). Yehovah knew Avraham.

5. What will Avraham command his house and his children? He will command his house and his children to live according to the Teachings of Yehovah, to fear Yehovah, to do righteously, to refuse to sin, to look for the fulfilling of the Covenant that Yehovah made with Avraham, to do justice, to love Grace, and selflessly to walk with Yehovah.

6. When will he do this? He has been doing this throughout the centuries. Those who are the children of Avraham aren’t necessarily the ones who have Avraham as an ancestor; those who have the faith and practice of Avraham are the children of Avraham:

Galatians 3:6 Abraham believed God. And it was thought to him for righteousness. ⁷Know ye therefore that they who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham!

Romans 9:6 They are not all Israel who are of Israel, ⁷neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham. But rather, “Thy seed shall be called in Isaac.” ⁸That is, They who are the children of the flesh—these are not the children of God, but rather, the children of the promise are counted for the seed!

Those who hearken to the faith and righteousness of Avraham are commanded by Avraham; they are the house and the children of Avraham.

7. What is Yehovah’s way? Yehovah’s way is to do righteousness and justice; it is to keep His Covenant; it is to love Grace; it is to save lives. Those who walk (that is, continuously live) in Yehovah’s way will do likewise. Those who guard Yehovah’s way will always be watching in order to do these things.

8. What is righteousness? It is the state of being and doing right—that is, doing what is right (moral) and appropriate (ethical) at all times. No one achieves righteousness by doing nothing (including by not sinning), but rather by doing something (including not sinning, and instead doing what is right) toward others.

A person who was formerly unrighteous can become among the righteous by justification—that is, by an act of another that takes an unrighteous person and pays for the unrighteousness debt of the person. Yet, it is now up to that person to live righteously and to demonstrate righteousness.

9. What is justice? It is rendering (that is figuring out and concluding) a right decision based upon facts (that is, based on the truth). That right decision can be to justify a person (to state that the person did right), to condemn a person (that is, to declare that the person did wrong), or to declare that the person wasn’t involved. No Biblical form of justice ever assumes that a person is “innocent until proven guilty;” that is a violation of justice. Instead, Biblical justice assumes nothing, and first hears the facts (truth) in every case.

Also, Biblical justice includes this: If a person testifies in any court session, if that person lies either to help get a guilty person from suffering the penalty for a crime, or to help convict an innocent person, once that testifier has been discovered to have been lying, whatever sentence that person was trying to help another avoid, or was trying to help get an innocent person convicted, the sentence of the other person will be carried out on him/her!

10. What will Yehovah bring upon Avraham? What did He say He would bring? Yehovah said a number of things that He will do concerning Avraham. For example, see Genesis 17 to see just part of Yehovah’s Covenant with Avraham!

11. What is required for Yehovah to bring that upon Avraham? Both Avraham’s house and Avraham’s children must guard Yehovah’s way to do righteousness and justice. This includes all the Israelis (since they are Avraham’s house through which the promises made to Avraham, and confirmed in Isaac and then in Jacob will be fulfilled). Until all Israel is in faith, Yehovah will not bring the blessings of the Covenant upon Avraham. Avraham must await this. This includes the resurrection from among the dead! Thus, all who have the faith of Avraham must have their very hope (expectation) in Israel’s restoration and faith!

III. The Scream (verses 20-21)

The Bible mentioned two cities: Sodom and Gomorrah. It will mention five cities in a later text: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim and Zoar.

Sodom and Gomorrah scream. The scream multiplies (gets louder). The sin of the inhabitants is very heavy (important; it weighs much).

Yehovah determines to descend in person. Have the inhabitants finished sinning, doing what she was screaming they were doing? Yehovah will find out.

Questions

1. What was Sodom screaming? Sodom was screaming because of the sin going on in her. She desired that Yehovah quickly do something about this.

2. Why was Sodom screaming? She desired for the sin and violence occurring in her to stop. Locations hate it when humans living in them become violent, and innocent blood and bodies are put into their soil without retribution.

3. Can cities speak to Yehovah? Are they alive? Yes, they can and do speak to Yehovah. They are alive in terms of the following:

Cities can respond to events occurring inside of them
Cities can prosper or harm humans living in them, depending on whether those humans are doing good or bad in them
Cities can destroy all their inhabitants if the violence becomes bad enough and lasts long enough
Cities can sin and are therefore moral creatures (see Ezekiel 14:13)
Yehovah holds cities responsible for aiding violent humans by giving them food, water and shelter unless the cities turn from that aid
Cities are viewed as separate from the humans who occupy them in quite a few texts

Thus, they are alive if the Bible is Truth.

4. Did Sodom agree with what Sodom’s citizens were doing? Explain. Sodom didn’t agree! The citizens were not calling out to Yehovah; they didn’t believe in Yehovah! The cities did believe in Yehovah. Certainly, the citizens would not have requested Yehovah to judge them! The scream of Sodom brought Yehovah’s action to annihilate everyone in the cities!

5. Was Gomorrah also screaming? The land under both Sodom and Gomorrah was the same; they were sister cities, and therefore they both were shouting, but as one land.

6. What multiplied? The scream multiplied! It became louder and louder as the land screamed to Yehovah.

7. What is the definition of sin in the Bible? Sin is:

any transgression of Yehovah’s Teaching (1 John 3:4)
knowing to do good and refusing to do it (James 4:17)
doing any unrighteousness (1 John 5:17)
doing anything that is contrary to Scriptural faith (Romans 14:23)
a high look, a proud heart, the ‘light’ of a culpable person (Proverbs 21:4)
any violation that causes death that Yehovah has warned either to not do or to do.

(One can sin against a ruler or a king; that may or may not be sin against God.)

8. What sin is this? (Only one sin is mentioned.) (Hint: Somewhere in Ezekiel, a text speaks of this sin.) The text in Ezekiel is the following:

Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity [true guilt of a sin] of thy sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters. And she didn’t strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. ⁵⁰And they were haughty! And they did abomination to my faces! therefore I took them away as I saw!

9. Why did Yehovah need to descend to see? Can’t He see all things? He can and does see all things! Yet, He takes very personally the destruction that He must do. He went there to personally see in order to show readers that He personally interacts with those made in His image when it comes to life-and-death issues.

10. If they finished, what would they finish? If they finished in this text, it would be finalizing their great sin! Yehovah sees and knows a point where those who do sin can no longer return from doing it. They have finished their evil and violent works; giving them more time will do no good, and will only give them more opportunity to increase sinning.

11. If you sin, does Yehovah know? He knows; He takes all sin and sinning very personally. (After all, He paid a terrible price for every sin that anyone does.)

12. Does Yehovah know you? If Yehovah knows a person in the Bible, it is because that person is His property by purchase. Anyone who has been purchased by Yehovah has been willing to receive the love of the Truth, and has received that love. Thus, the person has also received the Truth, has believed the Truth, and has been born from above. This is true of very few folks—not because it is hard, but because most have no interest in receiving the love of the Truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 They didn’t receive the love of the Truth that they might be saved.

IV. The Facts about Avraham (verses 22)

The men arrived from an unknown location, and ate. They then turned from the camp of Avraham. They went on their journey toward Sodom.

Avraham did not leave the one who stayed behind; he stood there directly in front of him.

Questions

1. Why did Avraham stand in front of the remaining man? Avraham understood what was about to occur from the conversation; Avraham had a close relative and his family living in Sodom. He had questions.

2. Was Avraham upset? He was very upset. Knowing that a close and loved relative is in danger of being killed is upsetting.

3. Did Avraham know who this is? He did! He knew that he was conversing with God. (He is about to call Him the Judge of all the land.)

4. Why did the men turn from there? They were on their way to do their slaughter errand; they were headed toward Sodom.

5. Why did one stay? Did Avraham detain him? Avraham did detain Him; Avraham had questions for Him. He, Yehovah, stayed, because Yehovah desired for the conversation to take place in order to teach readers Yehovah’s justice regarding slaughtering entire cities.

V. ‘Scraping Off’ and Profanation (verses 23-26)

Avraham reasoned with his Guest about justice. He called Him “the Judge of all the land” in verse 25. Therefore, Avraham now knew the identity of his Guest.

He asked, “Wilt thou even scrape-off a righteous-one with a culpable-one?” Avraham desired to know what He would do if there were fifty righteous persons in the midst of the city.

Avraham discussed only two possibilities: scraping off, and forgiving the place.

Questions

1. What does scrape off mean? Is this a good description? It is to remove by violence. In this case, it refers to rapidly removing all citizens from several cities as if they are scum on a dish. This is a very good description, since Yehovah will be sanitizing the locations by removing human scum!

2. How can you tell whether a person is a righteous person or a culpable person? A righteous person does righteousness; a culpable person (one who is guilty) will do acts that are wrong, and often will try to cover up his/her guilt if that guilt would make him/her look guilty.

3. What does forgive really mean (literally)? It literally means to carry—that is, to agree with the one who did wrong to carry the offense so that there is no longer a debt between them regarding that one issue. True forgiveness is an agreement.

4. How can one forgive a place? In this case, it is to agree to carry the place—that is, to continue to sustain it so that humans can live there. If Yehovah refuses to carry the place, He will destroy life from it.

5. What does righteous really mean (literally)? Righteous has to do with something being plumb, straight (like in a plumb line used in construction, a string with a weight on the end). The standard of righteousness comes from a supposed god or the One True God, for all righteousness goes back to some god (be it false or real).

Yehovah holds the standard of Biblical righteousness. The word justified is the same word. One who is justified is viewed as righteous. To justify is either to bring a guilty person (or group) into the state of being righteous, or it is to declare an innocent person (or group) as innocent, straight (before the god/God who holds the standard).

6. Are fifty righteous persons normally in a city? Explain this well, and think about this before you answer. This is very rare! While it may seem that cities with a larger population might have fifty righteous folks in them, that number is still very high!

There is a great difference between religious folks and righteous folks. Most who are religious are not righteous; those who are righteous are rarely religious.

Being religious has to do with advertising: making oneself look as if he/she has a continuous interest in God/god. Being righteous has to do with what one does and whom one serves. Religious folks draw attention to themselves; righteous folks serve others made in the image of God in order to give them opportunity to live.

Most cities of the world have few righteous folks in them; some have none.

7. Does Yehovah do anything that is secular/profane? Explain. Whatever is secular has nothing to do with ownership. The word profane means the same thing: unowned; for public use. Thus, public restrooms are profane restrooms; they are secular restrooms. They are for anyone to use. (While the city in which they are located owns them, they can be used freely by the public as long as they are not harmed.)

Yehovah doesn’t do secular/profane things; He always deals with persons, creatures, land, planets, stars, angels, etc. as His creation. Yet, those who rebel against Him are declaring that He doesn’t own them, and He often doesn’t interfere with them for a while until it is time to judge them. Humans who live as if Yehovah isn’t their creator and owner will either live secular lives (lives that show no ownership) or religious lives (lives that claim to be owned by some god, but not the true and Living God). Yehovah isn’t that way; He isn’t religious, and could not be. Thus, He never does what is secular or profane; He would have to deny Himself as the owner of all things in order to do that.

8. Does Yehovah always do justice? Yehovah always eventually does justice. If He immediately did justice, humans wouldn’t live long enough to even consider faith in Him. Thus, He waits. When He does act, however, He does justice.

9. What does judge really mean? Biblically, to judge is to render (that is, to give and carry out) a right decision based on all true facts.

10. Should you judge? Think very carefully before you answer. Every person with sense must judge! Anyone who doesn’t judge is either a fool, is incapable of judging because of a mental condition that lacks what is necessary to judge, or very gullible (that is, a sucker).

11. Was Avraham’s challenge of Yehovah’s justice (verses 23-25) right? Did Avraham have the right to do this, or did he sin by doing this? Avraham’s challenge was right, and he did have the right to do this. He did not sin by challenging Yehovah’s justice. That is the only good way to get to know His justice! Yehovah put this text in the Bible to show this very thing!

12. Is it a sin to be angry with God? It absolutely is not a sin as long as the person who is angry with God does what is right before Him, and makes peace with Him. (Those who stay bitter against God will reject their own Salvation.)

13. Is bargaining with God wrong? It absolutely is not wrong.

VI. The Minimum Number (verses 27-32)

Avraham resolved to speak to his Lords (plural). He had to ask more questions. Yet, he knew that he consisted of dust and ash!

What if only five less than fifty were present? Would Yehovah slaughter all the city because five were absent? Yehovah assured him that He will not do that.

Avraham continued with the countdown until he came to ten. Avraham went no lower.

Questions

1. Why is the word Lords plural? (It is used in that form throughout the Bible.) This title is plural to show the willingness to serve (slave for) the lords in all areas possible. Since a lord is a sir (or ma’am), and since this indicates higher rank, one who calls another lord is admitting that the person has higher rank, and must be served. If the person calls another my lords, that person is admitting that the higher rank is in all areas, and that the person must be served in all areas possible. (That never includes sinning against Yehovah who is the Highest Sirs.)

2. What does resolved mean? That means finally determined to do something after getting enough boldness to do it.

3. Why did Avraham call himself “dust and ash”? Is he? Every human is physically made of soil—that is, of the dust of the land. Since ash is the weakest substance known to man (a piece of ash can be torn with the greatest ease), ash shows weakness and the possibility of being blown away with the slightest breeze. All humans are as ashes before Yehovah; the breath of Yehovah can blow humans entirely off the earth.

4. Why did Avraham stop with ten instead of lowering the number to five? Avraham knew that ten was low enough; insisting on five righteous folks being in a city in order to save the entire city wasn’t reasonable to him. He knew that nine or less could be removed from a very evil and vile city, and that the city’s population then deserved to be destroyed while the nine or less were being rescued.

5. What would Yehovah do if He found (say) eight righteous persons? Would He slaughter the eight with the culpable ones (the culprits)? No; he would send to remove and rescue them, and then slaughter the rest.

6. Avraham seemed to be concerned that Yehovah might anger with him for his continuing to speak (verse 30). Was there a danger of this? There wasn’t danger, but Avraham didn’t desire to show disrespect toward the One before whom Avraham himself will later be judged. Avraham was being very bold; Yehovah desired this. This kind of boldness is for justice and not for evil.

7. Avraham never mentioned Lot in this entire discussion. Why? The issue wasn’t Lot himself, but rather Yehovah’s justice. Had Avraham mentioned Lot, the reader might have gotten the impression that Yehovah’s justice can be twisted by personal relationships. Yehovah’s justice is never perverted; it is always straight.

8. Would you be considered among the righteous were the city in which you live to be targeted for Yehovah’s destruction? (Each student must answer this question for himself/herself.)

VII. Finished (verse 33)

Yehovah left when he finished speaking. Avraham sat ‘to’ his place. This wasn’t the type of ‘goodbye’ a reader might expect.

Questions

1. Why did Avraham just sit there? There was nothing he could do. Yehovah will do what is right; nothing Avraham could have done would have been superior to what Yehovah will do.

2. Was Avraham pleased that Yehovah had just visited him? The text doesn’t indicate this; Avraham now knew of the great danger to Lot and his family. The visit to Avraham was about life and death; such a conversation isn’t ‘pleasing.’

3. Would you be pleased if you had relatives in a city that you knew would be targeted by Yehovah to destroy it, and Yehovah had just visited you to let you know? (The answer, of course, depends on whether the person loves these relatives.)

4. Did Avraham fear for his relatives? The text doesn’t state that he did, but he knew the characters of his relatives. Lot was righteous, but that said nothing about Lot’s wife or about Lot’s daughters (and sons-in-law).

5. Why didn’t Yehovah reassure Avraham that Lot would be safe? Lot will be harmed by the events about to occur—not Lot himself, but Lot will suffer a great loss.

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